Discover the world of toxic clients with insights on how to spot the red flags early. The hosts share personal experiences that highlight the challenges freelancers face, particularly with unclear expectations and scope creep. Learn strategies for maintaining professionalism while navigating difficult relationships, and find out how effective communication can save your sanity. Plus, they infuse humor and relatable pop culture references to keep things engaging as they explore the ups and downs of freelancing in today’s tech landscape.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Unclear Projects
Identify clients without clear project plans.
Ask them to return with a fully formed idea to avoid unpaid brainstorming.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Facebook for Nurses
Wes had a client who wanted "Facebook for nurses".
The client kept suggesting random features like video chat without understanding development effort.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Scope Creep
Clearly define project scope in contracts.
Address scope creep immediately, highlighting time and budget implications to clients.
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In this Hasty Treat, Scott and Wes talk about toxic clients — how to identify them, and what to do about them.
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Show Notes
05:33 - Warning Signs of a potential toxic client
Doesn’t have project well thought out.
Scope creep - Adds on new features while not considering the amount of work required to make them happen. Can be mad when you run out of time or budget.
Ill Communicator
Contacts you at odd times.
Thinks that you should answer every email in an hour.
Contacts you in inappropriate ways, via text message, social media. OR doesn’t respond to emails in a timely manner giving you blockers.
Jerk
The rude client
Thinks they can be rude because they are giving you money
Hundreds of emails
Tries to be flashy upfront (dinners, etc.)
Scatterbrain or way too big.
Facebook for nurses
18:06 - What to do about toxic clients
Communicate your needs clearly. Set expectations.
“I work best when…”
“I answer emails once every two days”
Set clear deadlines for deliverables, feedback and revisions (one revision backed in, more at x hourly rate, etc.).
Just be VERY clear. If something doesn’t work for them, they will hopefully tell you.
Get things in writing.
Put things clearly in a working agreement for your client to approve. That way you have something to show in case things go south and you can say, “You agreed to the following things”.
Fire them
You can fire clients. Honestly, some of them just aren’t worth the time and effort. It’s usually the cheapest clients who demand the most from you. Don’t let them take more of your time and energy than they are paying for.
Firing clients is very simple.
Hi so and so, I don’t feel like we’re a good match for this project, so I’ll be canceling our work agreement. Good luck on your project.
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